Introduction

Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park has long stood in the center of the city, a patch of green in a sea of concrete. Its monuments and statues remind passerby of the rich history of the city and its inhabitants. However, one landmark in the park has been the focus of controversy in the community. The Fountain of the Pioneers, was created in 1940 by Alfonso Ianelli, the famous Chicago architect known for his daring new progressive artworks. It has brought the city of Kalamazoo to question what this landmark in particular has to say about the history of Kalamazoo and those who lived it.

In the last twenty years the fountain has been the subject of controversy. Starting in the late 1980s, repairs were done on the fountain, and people began to take a closer look at the centerpiece of Bronson Park. In the mid-2000s the city began to consider more renovation work on the fountain. Since then citizens of Kalamazoo have fiercely debated the meaning of the fountain and what it says about the community. The subject of the fountain and the imagery present in the design have caused people to develop strong emotions surrounding their ideas of what the fountain represents.